On Sinai, Moses intercedes for Israel, asking Yahweh to go with them. First, Yahweh promises to send His Angel ahead; finally, He promises to go before Israel Himself.
The sequence of events from Exodus 19-40 is a double-covenant sequence. Israel agrees to do all that Yahweh commands, and Israel’s representatives eat and drink in Yahweh’s presence to seal the covenant (Exodus 23-24). Then Israel breaks covenant (Exodus 32), and Moses intercedes for a new covenant (Exodus 33-34), which Yahweh grands (34:10).
This small double-covenant sequence foreshadows the large covenant sequence of Scripture: First Yahweh sends His Angel, and then Yahweh comes in person. First the Angel, then Jesus. Moses, we might say, is pleading on the mountain for incarnation.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
Of Roots and Adventures
I have lived in Ohio, Michigan, Georgia (twice), Pennsylvania, Alabama (also twice), England, and Idaho. I left…
Our Most Popular Articles of 2025
It’s been a big year for First Things. Our website was completely redesigned, and stories like the…
Our Year in Film & Television—2025
First Things editors and writers share the most memorable films and TV shows they watched this year.…
